ACYF Administration on Children, Youth and Families	U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Administration for Children and Families
	1. Log No. ACYF-HS-IM-99-20	2. Issuance Date: 12/14/99
	3. Originating Office: Head Start Bureau
	4. Key Word: Computer Technology; Y2K

INFORMATION MEMORANDUM

TO: Head Start Grantees and Delegate Agencies

SUBJECT: Final Guidance on Year 2000 (Y2K) Issues

INFORMATION: Year 2000 is just a couple of weeks away and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has continued its efforts to minimize the potential for Y2K disruptions in our programs.

We have also been working with other federal entities to streamline reporting processes and requirements to reduce the impact of Year 2000 reporting on you. This letter is to update you on changes that have occurred in the reporting process since our last letter, and expectations regarding ACF's role during the Day One period (December 30, 1999 through January 7, 2000).

Reporting

You are encouraged to report any suspected Y2K disruptions to the ACF Coordinated Response Center during the Day One period. This reporting process will apply to all ACF programs except: Child Care, Child Welfare, Child Support Enforcement, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, and LIHEAP. The status of these programs will be reported through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reporting process directly to the Federal government's Information Coordination Center (ICC); a separate letter regarding this process is being sent to the agencies that administer these five programs.

ACF's Role

During the Day One period, ACF staff in our Washington, DC office will be available to respond to reports of Y2K disruptions from grantees administering ACF programs other than those listed above. We will also be monitoring reports submitted to the Federal ICC and other available information that might indicate a Y2K disruption that may impact an ACF program.
This information will be used to:

• Monitor the delivery of services to clients;
• Coordinate the Federal response to issues concerning our programs;

• Provide support to national, state, territory and local partners and clients; and
• Assess the overall national impact of Y2K on the children and families that we serve.

Contacting ACF/Requesting Assistance

Throughout the Day One period, the ACF Coordinated Response Center will be tracking information and responding to State/grantee requests for assistance or information. The following number is provided for direct contact with the ACF Coordinated Response Center during the Day One period: (202) 401-9242.

To support your ongoing Y2K efforts prior to Day One, please feel free to discuss any concerns or problems you may have related to this issue with your normal contacts in the Regional Offices or the American Indian and Migrant Programs branches. For technical assistance only, you may want to call the Human Services Sector Y2K Hotline at 1-888-HHS-Y2K1. An associated Internet site is also available at http://y2k.acf.dhhs.gov.

We appreciate the dedication and efforts of all those who have worked to ensure a seamless transition to the Year 2000 for the children and families we serve, and we wish you all a safe and happy new year.

Helen H. Taylor
Associate Commissioner
Administration on Children, Youth and Families